Pauline Collins, Star of Shirley Valentine, Dies at 85
The celebrated actress Pauline Collins, best known for her performance in the film Shirley Valentine, has died at the age of 85.
She died peacefully in her London residence, in the company of her family after living with Parkinson's for a number of years, according to her family.
Her legacy will be defined for her depiction of unhappy homemaker Shirley in Lewis Gilbert's acclaimed motion picture, based on the celebrated stage play by Willy Russell.
Her praised acting also earned her the Golden Globe for best actress along with a Bafta.
'Sparkling Personality'
Collins' family said in a statement: "She was a multifaceted person to countless individuals, playing a variety of roles in her life. A bright, sparky, witty presence on theater and film. Her distinguished work saw her portray leaders, parents, and royalty."
"Her memory will endure as the legendary, determined, lively, and insightful Shirley Valentine - a role that she made all her own. We knew all those aspects of her personality because her charm was embedded in each one of them."
They added she was their "loving mum, our beloved grandmother and great-grandma", and actor John Alderton's "life-long love"
"Warm, funny, generous, thoughtful, wise, she was constantly supportive," they said, appreciating her caregivers, who looked after her with "dignity, compassion, and most of all love"
"She experienced a more peaceful goodbye. We hope you will remember her at the height of her powers; radiant and energetic; and give us the space and privacy to reflect on life in her absence"
Stage Success
Collins first played the lead part of Shirley Valentine at the Vaudeville Theater in the UK capital in 1988. She received that year's Olivier award for best actress.
The following year she returned to the character on the New York stage, where she picked up numerous prizes including a esteemed Tony Award.
The movie adaptation was released later that year.
Her other films included the 1991 film City of Joy with actor Patrick Swayze, shot in Kolkata, which gained her international fame worldwide.
Born in Exmouth in 1940, she grew up near the city of Liverpool and started out her career as a teacher.
Her love of the stage inspired her to pursue acting on a side basis, and in 1957 she had a cameo role as a nurse in the TV series Emergency Ward 10.
She starred in the film Secrets of a Windmill Girl in 1966, playing a fictional dancer in a London adult entertainment venue, the Windmill Theatre.
After a number of stage roles, she employed her regional dialect to secure a part on The Liver Birds.
Her acting career that she met her husband John Alderton. They wed in 1969 and had three children, Nicholas, Kate, and Richard.
Alderton and Collins starred alongside each other in a number of television and film roles, such as the series Upstairs, Downstairs, in which she played a maid in ITV's popular series.
